Lionel Messi Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini ( Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾez ˈmesi] born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentine national team . Often considered the best player in the world and regarded by many as the greatest of all time, Messi has a record-tying five Ballon d'Or awards, four of which he won consecutively, and a record five European Golden Shoes . He has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won 32 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and six Copas del Rey . Both a prolific goalscorer and a creative playmak...